Emotional Distress and Posttraumatic Stress in Children: The Impact of Direct Versus Indirect Exposure

Abstract

This study examined whether familiarity with the physical environment and verbal/pictorial exposure to a tsunami also inducted posttraumatic stress symptoms in adolescents. The Impact of Event Scale (IES) and Pediatric Emotional Distress Scale (PEDS) were administered to 231 subjects (130 directly exposed and 101 indirectly exposed). The directly exposed group scored high on the IES and PEDS. A significant sex difference was observed on all three dimensions of the IES, and fearful and traumatic event-related dimensions of PEDS, with females at a higher risk compared to males. In the indirectly exposed group, no sex difference was observed for the IES (avoidance and total impact score) or the fearful, acting out, or traumatic experience related dimensions of the PEDS. Significant sex differences were observed in this group on the IES intrusion and PEDS withdrawal scores, with males higher on intrusion and females higher on withdrawal.

Notes

∗p < .05; ∗∗p < .01.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Braj Bhushan

Braj Bhusan is currently working as an assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India. His primary areas of interest include development of cognitive artifacts, study of laterality from ergonomic and evolutionary perspectives, posttraumatic stress, and posttraumatic growth.

J. Sathya Kumar

J. Sathya Kumar is a professor of human resources and behavioral sciences at Thiagarajar School of Management, Madurai, India. He is also a visiting faculty member at the M. K. University. Currently, he is pursuing research in the field of CBT as an intervention strategy for enhancing life adjustment.